AS ALWAYS, ARAB DESIGNERS STOLE THE SPOTLIGHT AT THE SS24 COUTURE WEEK.

Amidst legendary couturiers like Schiaparelli, Jean Paul Gaultier, Chanel, and Dior, a few Arab names stand out on the Haute Couture Week calendar each season. From seasoned designers like Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad to the new kids on the Haute Couture block like Ashi Studio, Arab designers brought their A-game to the Parisian runways. 

Missed out on the extravaganza? Discover the best collections from Arab designers at the Spring/Summer 2024 Couture Week. 

ASHI STUDIO

In 2023, Mohammed Ashi made his Couture Week debut, becoming the first Saudi Arabian designer to do so. For Spring/Summer 2024, he returned to the prestigious Parisian runway with yet another extraordinary collection titled ‘Ink Sculpture.’ The Ashi Studio Spring/Summer 2024 Couture collection featured luxe fabrics like tulle, satin, feathers, and crepe. Ruffles and oversized shoulders added playful touches to the silhouettes that were drenched in shades of gold, beige, and black. 

ELIE SAAB

This season, Lebanese designer Elie Saab turned to the ancient city of Marrakech for inspiration. Named ‘Desert Rose,’ the Elie Saab Spring/Summer 2024 Couture collection evokes the soothing visuals of the break of day in the ancient Morrocan city. The dusty hues of the city were interpreted in the collection as soothing pastels ranging from soft pinks, periwinkles, sorbet greens, and pale yellow. The designs feature complex floral and crystal embroideries, magnificent red carpet-worthy gowns with capes and trains, and rich satin drapes. 

GEORGES HOBEIKA

The Georges Hobeika Spring/Summer 2024 Couture collection is inspired by and an homage to the Arab world. Drawing from the glamour and beauty of Middle Eastern women and the joyful culture of the region, the collection flaunts audacious colors, playful prints and details, and sophisticated silhouettes. A love letter to the women and culture that nurtured them, Georges and Jad Hobeika channel the carefree glam of 1960s Beirut into their latest couture creations. 

RAMI AL ALI 

Not only the official calendar, Dubai-based Syrian designer Rami Al Ali showcased his Spring/Summer 2024 Couture collection in Paris on the sidelines of Couture Week. Elegant silhouettes, clever draping, fringes, embellishments, dramatic sleeves, and capes were the highlights of Al Ali’s Couture collection. 

ZUHAIR MURAD

Titled ‘A Tyrian Arabesque,’ Zuhair Murad‘s Spring/Summer 2024 Couture collection drew from Lebanon’s rich history. Inspired by the bygone era of the Phoenician civilization and the country’s idyllic location on the Mediterranean, the collection is an ode to light, waves, wind, marine beauty, and picturesque Mediterranean sunsets. 

This translated into intricate beadwork and embroidery, dazzling fabrics, Greco-Roman influencers, glorious drapes, and stunning fringes. The color palette reflected the Mediterranean influence with deep reds reminiscent of the amber sunsets of the region, soothing greens representing the rich olive fields, and the scintillating crystals a reflection of sea spray. 

ALSO READ: RUNWAY HIGHLIGHTS: THE BEST OF SPRING/SUMMER 2024 COUTURE WEEK.